[Husker] Marve still looking, but would Paulus be better fit for Nebraska?

[Duane Feldman]

Well, LJS's Sipple and others to the contrary, I can make a case for Paulus, but only marginally for Marve.

Why Paulus, a player who hasn't played QB since high school and only has one season?  I agree he would probably never start and his elgibility is over after one season, so this is not a long term solution for anything.  BUT . . . 

Bo, and more directly, Watson has a QB depth issue this season.  Lee is the starter, barring injury, but then . . .  Spano will be backup IF he can make it back by the start of the season, but rarely can a spring ACL reconstruction return by fall.  The only one I can remember is Dan Alexander so it can be done, but many players (e.g. Blue and others) take a year to get back to normal.  The coaches say that Spano will be back, but I don't know if that is hope or belief.  Assuming Spano does not make it back, then Washington, Cody Green and Taylor Martinez are the backups.  Most feel that LTW and CG need a redshirt year before either are effective running this offense. We haven't even seen TM yet, and some do not believe his future is at QB.  If Spano makes it back, we do not need an additional QB this year, but assuming the worst, we miss a chance to redshirt Washington and Green.  Getting Paulus gives us the chance to hold the redshirt season
 for the two.  

Of course the worst case situation is still not that bad:  Spano can't return, we don't offer Paulus so Washington is backup and steps in if Lee is injured.  Is there an appreciable difference between LTW and Paulus?  I don't know.  Neither have played QB since HS, but it has been longer for Paulus, although Paulus was higher rated at the time.  Plus, LTW has had spring practice while Paulus is starting at square one in June.  Green has more upside than LTW, but you hate to lose a redshirt year for him as a backup.  And when Green does come in as a redshirt soph after Lee graduates, does having an extra year for Washington do NU any good?  Probably not as there will be additional QB recruits to step up to compete with Green.

I'll let the coaches make this decision.

Duane Feldman




________________________________
From: Ken Oliver <ksterling at mindspring.com>
To: Nick Chevance <nickchevance at gmail.com>; Husker List <husker at tssi.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 11:28:25 AM
Subject: Re: [Husker] Marve still looking, but would Paulus be better fit for Nebraska?



-----Original Message-----
>From: Nick Chevance <nickchevance at gmail.com>
>Sent: Apr 22, 2009 10:37 AM
>To: Husker List <husker at tssi.com>
>Subject: Re: [Husker] Marve still looking, but would Paulus be better fit for     Nebraska?
>
>On Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 6:01 AM, David Strong <gbrlist at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> This is a good post.  If the coaches didn't think it was worth it to bring in a quality
>> quarterback for one year, they wouldn't do it.  It is a lot of work for them, not just the
>> kid.
>>
>> Dave
>
>I appreciate the comments, but I'm still curious if anyone sees
>bringing in either kid with one year to play as good thing.  It sounds
>like Dave and Matthew think it might be if its done right.  But I'm
>not sure it can be done right.
>
>Its my understanding, and I gained a bit by watching Big Red Wrapup
>last night, that we've got a QB (Cody Green) that is the future of
>Nebraska football on staff in a redshirt situation now (a true
>freshman, I think the plan is to redshirt him - in the spring game he
>was still 17 years old!!).  Bringing in someone like Paulus (does he
>have to sit a year, or ican he play now?) makes no sense because if
>he's got only one year of eligibility, I would doubt he could walk in
>to the rotation now after spring ball is over?  And if he waits a
>year, gains experience, he still only plays a year and robs another
>scholarship player of a year.  What does the kid from Miami have in
>terms of eligibility?  One year?  Same thing.
>
>Zac Lee is a Junior and, barring injury (knocking on wood here), has
>two years to play, Kody Spano is a redshirt Freshman and was being
>counted on to be backup to someone, and Cody Green is the heir
>apparent.  When Washington was brought up from the linebacking corps
>to be a QB, and played well at the spring game, it just seems to me
>that unless you can get a proven Unitas or Montana, you pass on the
>one-year wonders.
>
>I think Dave and Matthew are correct to point out that we were burned
>by the Keller situation, and they seem to think Bo may know better.  I
>too will differ to the coaches (not like they're gonna ask me
>anyway!!), but I just don't see a need.  We lost a QB that didn't want
>to be here, but the cupboard isn't bare.  We've probably got as much
>talent at QB as we ever have, but none of it has played meaningful
>time.  Maybe that's what entices so much.
>
>Nick
Cognito Ergo Spud

Love the sig, hehe.

Paulus has one year eligibility and can play immediately.  No sitting out a year.  With the departure of Witt, I feel we are a guy short in trying to preserve the red shirt on Cody Green. One thing I am sure Paulus has is competitive poise.  His age and experience at Duke, albeit in basketball, have got to be a plus.  If he comes to NU, works hard, expects no special treatment, and is willing to play a backup roll (unless he proves to be better) I see it as a positive situation. Just imagine swapping him in for Witt as far as scholarships are involved.  Given the above, he can tide us over the short-term manpower disadvantage.  Integrity issues?  None.

Marve, on the other hand, can not tide us over.  He may even throw complications into subsequent years.  I am not confident about his behavior; the suspensions bother me.

So, to my way of thinking, Paulus is the better fit.




.

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